Like many other nations across Europe, France has welcomed a growing number of immigrants — mostly from Africa and the Middle East — with open arms in recent years.
As a result, the nation has experienced a troubling uptick in property crime, violence, and general destruction, prompting protests and civil unrest in response to the nation’s policies.
Now the police unions are getting directly involved in the backlash.
Recent riots broke out after a 17-year-old Muslim immigrant was fatally shot when he allegedly attempted to run over an officer during a traffic stop.
In the aftermath of the shooting, Islamic protesters have taken to the streets, shouting religious slogans while burning property, looting stores, and terrorizing French citizens.
The situation has clearly brought the nation’s law enforcement community to its breaking point.
A joint statement by French unions representing in total about half of the country’s police force began by declaring, according to an English translation: “It’s enough!”
In response to “these savage hordes” that have overtaken much of the country, the unions insisted that simply “asking for calm” is insufficient.
“Restoring the Republican order and putting the apprehended beyond the capacity to harm others must be the only political signal to give,” the statement continued. “In the face of such exactions, the police family must stand together.”
Immigrant hordes loot shops in Marseille. France has fallen. #FranceRiots #FranceHasFallen #FranceOnFire pic.twitter.com/fFygUuSLaf
— Paul Golding (@GoldingBF) July 2, 2023
The police representatives went on to declare that they join “the majority of citizens” nationwide who “can no longer bear the tyranny of these violent minorities,” adding that decisive action is the only appropriate response.
“The time is not for union action, but for combat against these ‘pests,’” they wrote. “Surrendering, capitulating, and pleasing them by laying down arms are not the solutions in light of the gravity of the situation.”
Concluding that “all means must be put in place to restore the rule of law as quickly as possible,” the statement acknowledged that this issue will only resurface again even after the current situation is addressed.
Therefore, the unions asserted that they “will take their responsibilities and warn the government from now on that at the end, we will be in action and without concrete measures for the legal protection of the police, an appropriate penal response, significant means provided, the police will judge the extent of the consideration given.”
